The invention relates to a sliding vehicle for snow sport, comprising:
a sliding pad bearing on the snow,
a support element provided with a seat on which the driver sits down,
and a manual conducting member for the steering and braking control of the vehicle, said member being connected with the support element and formed at least by a handle or handlebar, located between the legs of the pilot in front on the seat and in the sliding direction.
Such an apparatus is well known under the name xe2x80x9cPARETxe2x80x9d, and is realized entirely of wood in assembling by mortise and tenon joint the seat and the handle on the pad. In the normal conducting position, the single pad slides on the snow, and it is sufficient to exert a tractive effort on the handle to raise the front portion of the pad, provoking a brake effect on the rear portion. The monoblock structure of this apparatus presents an important bulk and weight, which do not make easy its transportation. Another disadvantage is the absence of any shock absorbing effect in case of shocks received during the downhill trip.
The document FR-A-2000762 relates to a sleigh, comprising a seat in the form of a basin directly in contact with the snow, and a steer lever protruding to the top. Such an apparatus is however difficult to steer because the relatively small height of the seat with regard to the bottom and the relatively large width of the pad, do not allow the pilot to incline the apparatus in order to change the direction. Steering is accomplished in the manner of a classic sled; i.e., braking with a foot at the inside of the curve.
The document WO95/15504 describes an apparatus that allows a leg handicapped skier to practice downhill skiing. The apparatus comprises a sole connected to a classic downhill ski and a support arm of a seat, which is articulated at the front portion to a swinging axis. The balance and the steering are executed with the arms of the skier, a small ski being mounted at the end of each stick, and bearing on the ski run according to a predetermined orientation in the curves. A telescopic shock absorbing spring allows it to absorb the mechanical shocks when practicing skiing. Such a device is very heavy and is not suited to be transported easily by the skier.
The document CH-A-537198 describes a ski-bob provided with two skis connected with the frame through two articulated arms and through shock absorbers with elastic deformation.